Rory McIlroy: We are set for a great weekend. I just need to get myself in the mix

McIlroy has been happy with his play tee to green at Doonbeg but his putting has let him down

Rory McIlroy is nine shots behind Shane Lowry heading into the weekend at the Irish Open. Pic:  ©INPHO/Ben Brady

A cold putter cost Rory McIlroy on a frustrating second day at the Amgen Irish Open at Trump International.

The defending champion shot one-under par for the second day in a row to leave him nine off leader Shane Lowry. His trouble on the green emerged right from the start as he missed a 12-footer for birdie. He was unable to sink a nine-footer on the fourth and whiffed a three-footer for par on the seventh.

“I just didn't have it on the greens,” he explained afterwards.

“I really struggled to read them. It is hard whenever you struggle to read them and then when you do get over the ball you're trying to trust what you're seeing, but everything else that you have seen hasn't went the way you thought, so it is hard to put a committed stroke on it. Yeah, it has been a tough one on the greens the last two days. But tee to green, I've actually been pretty happy with how everything else is. I just need to try to hole a few more over the weekend.” 

He continued: “I am hitting the ball well enough; I just need to try to hole a few more putts or get a handle on reading them a little bit better. But, yeah, I feel like I certainly have the ability and at least have the long game to do it. Just need to hole a few more on the greens.” 

The best shot of his round came on the par-5 8th that plays up a hill. Now, it should be said, this stretch is not exactly the pinnacle of the course. The run of par 3-5-3-5-3 is a touch drab. Yet the six-time Major winner drew excited applause from the crowd when he launched a perfect fairway wood to within two feet for eagle.

It finished on a bum note, though. A terrific approach was followed by an inaccurate four-footer for birdie and a missed two-footer for par.

Just behind him, Lowry continued to lead the charge to the delight of the Doonbeg crowd. Unlike Thursday, the conditions were immense and the energy was powerful. Even his playing partners were cheered down the back nine.

“It is amazing what he is doing,” said McIlroy of his close friend.

“He is no stranger to it. Obviously, what he did in Portrush a few years ago, and obviously winning this tournament back in 2009 as an amateur. So he knows how to handle all this stuff. But definitely any time you have the crowd on your side it's a big positive.

“He believes he is a good player in windy links conditions, so I think that is half the battle is believing that you are or knowing that you are. I think he feels like he has an advantage when the conditions are like that. That is the way he sees the game.

“He sees the game with that flight. He doesn't really hit the ball up in the air that often, he usually flights it a lot, even when it is in calmer conditions. So I just think that this type of golf suits the way he likes to see the game and then it gives him that little bit of extra belief that he can handle it better than most.” 

Elsewhere, Tom McKibbin hit an encouraging 67 to stay in contention heading into the weekend. The 23-year-old finished with five birdies and two bogeys.

It has been an interesting week for the Holywood man. As LIV Golf officially filed for bankruptcy protection, it listed several stars as creditors still owed huge sums. McKibbin was listed at number 27 on the list, owed $973,000.

He was paired with PGA breakout star Alex Fitzpatrick and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald. This was a welcome chance to impress ahead of Adare Manor next year.

Friday was a good day to do some scoring. Forecasts expect it to be breezy and blustery on Saturday with the morning set to be a washout. Several players referenced the fact that conditions would be tougher from here on.

That said, McIlroy knows what he needs to fix so he can make a run.

“I just need to get a handle on the greens and start reading them a little bit better," he said.

"But, yeah, I will get out early tomorrow, try to make a few birdies and get myself up the leaderboard.

“What Shane is doing is amazing; it is great for the tournament to have him up there, Tom McKibbin up there as well. So we are set for a great weekend. I just need to get myself in the mix as well.”